Breach of COVID-19 protocols, logistics challenge as Ondo prepares for guber poll

Residents of Ondo state will on Saturday elect their governor for the next four years.

Of the 17 candidates contesting the election, the more popular ones are Rotimi Akerodolu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Eyitayo Jegede of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Agboola Ajayi of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).

TheCable visited different local government areas (LGAs) of the state to ascertain the general atmosphere and compliance with COVID-19 protocols among residents and staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

One of the things  easily noticeable is the widespread disregard for COVID-19 protocols in the state.

At INEC office in Ifon, Ose LGA, officials on ground to convey election materials to various registration area centres (RACs) did not observe safety rules listed by health authorities.

Aside from the obvious absence of face masks, there was complete disregard for social distancing.

The situation was the same at Odigbo LGA, where INEC ad hoc staff gathered to receive voting items. At Oke-Agbe in Akoko north-west as well as at Bolorunduro in Ondo north-east local government areas, respectively, the situation was not different.

Corps members cramped inside the hall at Odode youth centre, Idanre LGA, while undergoing a training on how to use the smart card readers (SMR).

There was heavy security presence across the state. Armed operatives were stationed at strategic places.

There were also challenges during the deployment of election materials across the state.

As at 2pm on Friday, election materials were yet to be deployed in different RACs in Bolorunduro, Ondo east.

Out of more than 10 buses parked within the INEC premises, only one had election materials in it, while many of the drivers were asleep.

Ad hoc staff were refused entry into the premises. Some of them who spoke with TheCable complained about not knowing their places of deployment as the duty list had not been pasted.

Corps members also gathered at a restaurant adjacent to the INEC centre to await further directives.

But at the INEC office at Akoko south-west, Oyediran Ezekiel, the electoral officer, said all materials had been deployed to the RACs.

TheCable and CDD have deployed reporters and observers across all the local government areas of the state for a live coverage of the election.